The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully secured the conviction and subsequent sentencing of seventeen individuals involved in internet fraud. These convictions were pronounced between January 8 and 28, 2024, following legal proceedings before Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, and Justice A.A. Babawale of the Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta, where each defendant faced a separate lone count charge.
The convicted individuals are Akinbode Abiodun, Samad Tijani Owolabi, Ademola Olabamiji Quadri, Evewiekpoamare Tivere Jackson, Adeagbo Stephen Adegbenro, Adesanya Olamilekan Dare, Yusuf Saka Olaoluwatobi, Akinbode Adedolapo Joshua, Musa Ayinde Olorunnisola, and Lawal Mohammed Segun. Others include Moses Bitrus Bugama, Odude Kehinde Ayomipo, Bashiru Quadri Adeyinka, Ochoche Silas Ochola, Nurudeen Olamilekan Quam, Afeez Adewale Jimoh, and Olowookere Ademola Sobbur.
The charges brought against them included fraudulent impersonation, as exemplified by the case of Adesanya Olamilekan Dare, who fraudulently posed as a white man named Daryl Huffman from the United States of America through his Facebook account.
All defendants pleaded guilty to the charges, leading to a thorough review of the cases by the prosecution counsels. The prosecution presented indicting documents and other incriminating materials as evidence before the courts, urging convictions and appropriate sentencing.
Consequently, Justice Babawale sentenced Sobbur to one year imprisonment without an option of fine. Justice Adetujoye, on the other hand, sentenced Olorunnisola to two months imprisonment, while Jimoh, Quam, Ochola, Adeyinka, Ayomipo, Bugama, Segun, and Olaoluwatobi received one month jail term each.
Joshua, Dare, Adegbenro, and Abiodun were convicted and sentenced to two weeks imprisonment each without an option of fine. Owolabi, Quadri, and Jackson were given two weeks of community service each.
The courts also ordered restitution to the victims, including an amount of N11,749,823.36 to be paid by Owolabi. Additionally, various items forfeited by the convicts to the Federal Government of Nigeria were listed, such as vehicles and other valuables.
In a related development, the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force handed over four suspected internet fraudsters to the Ibadan Zonal Command of the EFCC on January 26, 2024. The suspects, Abiodun Ajayi, Salako Saheed, Qudus Owolabi, and Abiodun Ridwan, were apprehended in the Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo State. Items recovered from them included one unregistered Toyota Camry, one gold-colored Toyota Camry, two laptops, and five mobile phones, among other possessions. They will face charges in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
